Flying ball stopping net device

ABSTRACT

A flying ball stopping net device including an elastic wire rod assembly which assumes an annular form when it is in a free state lying on a horizontal flat surface. The assembly first and second end members with intermediate members constituting transition members between the first and second members. A flying ball stopping net is provided closing a first end space surrounded by the first member. A flexible first connecting member interconnects the first and second members and counteracts the elastic restoring force of the wire rod assembly to enable imaginary extension planes of the first end space and a second end space to cross each other at a predetermined angle.

FIELD OF THE INVENTION

[0001] The present invention relates to a flying ball stopping netdevice, which, in a toss batting in baseball practice or in golf balldriving practice, for example, is used to prevent a flying ball fromflying farther than is necessary over a desired position.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

[0002] As for the aforesaid flying ball stopping net device, there hasbeen one disclosed in Japanese Utility Model Registration NO. 3057465.

[0003] According to the above publication, an elastic wire rod assemblyis provided that assumes an annular form when it is in a free statelying on a horizontal flat surface. This wire rod assembly comprises afirst end member constituting one end of said wire rod assembly in onedirection extending along said horizontal flat surface, an second endmember constituting the other end of said wire rod assembly in adirection opposite to said one direction, and a pair of intermediatemembers respectively positioned in a longitudinally intermediate placein each side of said wire rod assembly to constitute a transitionportion from the first end member to the second end member. Further,there is provided a flying ball stopping net closing a first end spacesurrounded by said first end member, and attached at its outer edge tosaid first end member.

[0004] Each of said intermediate members is bendable such that itelastically deforms to assume a curved form, as a result of whichbending, imaginary extension planes of a second end space surrounded bysaid second end member and of said first end space cross each other at apredetermined angle. And the second end member is contactable with theground in said bent state while the first end member is raisable withrespect to the ground.

[0005] Further, a support bracket is attached to said wire rod assemblythat supports the first end member on the ground while counteracting theelastic restoring force of said wire rod assembly in order to retainsaid predetermined angle and to allow the first end member to retain itsraised position on the ground, with the second end member of the wirerod assembly contacted with the ground. When the first end member isthus retained in its raised position, the flying ball stopping netdevice is in the “usable state.”

[0006] And if a flying ball hits the flying ball stopping net in theflying ball stopping net device in said usable state, this flying ballstopping net deflects, whereby the speed of said ball is reduced,dropping down said flying ball stopping net; thus, the ball is preventedfrom flying farther than is necessary.

[0007] On the other hand, by bending said wire rod assembly whilecounteracting the elastic restoring force of the wire rod assembly, aplurality of spiral annuluses of substantially the same diameter can beformed and these spiral annuluses and said support bracket can besuperposed on each other, whereby the flying ball stopping net device isput in a “stored state” in compact form easy for carrying around byhand.

[0008] In this connection, the above prior art has the followingproblems.

[0009] First, the support bracket, which when said flying ball stoppingnet device is put in the usable state, retains said predetermined angleand holds the first end member of said wire rod assembly in the raisedposition on the ground, is designed to support the elastic restoringforce of said wire rod assembly as a compressive load, so that saidsupport bracket is given a great strength because of the necessity ofcounteracting said compressive load. Therefore, the support brackettends to be heavy, entailing the danger of the handling, such ascarrying around, of the flying ball stopping net device becomingtroublesome.

[0010] Second, said second end member is positioned one of the forwardand rearward directions of said first end member as seen in a side viewof said flying ball stopping net device and said support bracket ispositioned in the other direction thereof. Therefore, when it is desiredto do the practice of toss batting or golf ball driving toward theflying ball stopping net attached to said first end member, said secondend member or support bracket constitutes an obstacle, thus entailing adanger that it becomes difficult to use said flying ball stopping netdevice.

[0011] Third, said flying ball stopping net is constantly subjected totension by said elastic restoring force of said wire rod assembly;therefore, when a flying ball hits said flying ball stopping net, thenet insufficiently deflects, entailing a danger that the flying ballgreatly bounces back after hitting and hence a danger that the ballcollecting operation thereafter becomes troublesome.

[0012] Fourth, when said wire rod assembly is to be bent to put theflying ball stopping net device in the stored state of compact form, thesupport bracket, which is attached to said wire rod assembly,constitutes an obstacle; thus, the operation of putting the flying ballstopping net device in the stored state would become troublesome.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

[0013] An object of the present invention is to reduce the weight of theflying ball stopping net device to facilitate the handling, such ascarrying abound, thereof.

[0014] Another object of the invention is to facilitate the use of theflying ball stopping net device.

[0015] Another object of the invention is, in the case where the flyingball hits the flying ball stopping net of the flying ball stopping netdevice to fall down therebelow, to facilitate the operation ofcollecting the ball thereafter.

[0016] Another object of the invention is, when the wire rod assembly ofthe flying ball stopping net device is to be bent into a stored state incompact form, to facilitate the operation of establishing this storedstate.

[0017] The present invention provides a flying ball stopping net deviceincluding an elastic wire rod assembly that assumes an annular form whenit is in a free state lying on a horizontal flat surface, said wire rodassembly including a first end member constituting one end of said wirerod assembly in one direction extending along said horizontal flatsurface, a second end member constituting the other end of said wire rodassembly in the direction opposite to said one direction, and a pair ofintermediate members respectively positioned in a longitudinallyintermediate place in each side of said wire rod assembly to constitutea transition portion from the first end member to the second end member,said flying ball stopping net device further including a flying ballstopping net closing a first end space surrounded by said first endmember, and attached at its outer edge to said first end member, each ofsaid intermediate members being bendable such that imaginary extensionplanes of a second end space surrounded by said second end member and ofsaid first end space cross each other at a predetermined angle, in whichbent state said second end member is contacted with the ground whilesaid first end member is raisable with respect to the ground, wherein

[0018] a flexible first connecting member is provided forinterconnecting said first and second end members while counteractingthe elastic restoring force of said wire rod assembly, so as to retainsaid predetermined angle.

[0019] Other objects, arrangements, functions and effects of theinvention than those described above will become apparent from adetailed description of the invention to be given below with referenceto the accompanying drawings.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0020] The drawings show a preferred embodiment of the invention.

[0021]FIG. 1 is a front view of a flying ball stopping net device;

[0022]FIG. 2 is a perspective view of the flying ball stopping netdevice in its usable state;

[0023]FIG. 3 is side view of the flying ball stopping net device in itsusable state;

[0024]FIG. 4 is a side view of what is shown in FIG. 1;

[0025]FIG. 5 is a sectional view taken along the line 5-5 in FIG. 1;

[0026]FIG. 6 is a sectional view taken along the line 6-6 in FIG. 1;

[0027]FIG. 7 is a sectional view taken along the line 7-7 in FIG. 1; and

[0028]FIG. 8 is a perspective view of the flying ball stopping netdevice in its stored state.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS

[0029] In FIGS. 1, 4-7, the numeral 1 denotes a flying ball stopping netdevice having an elastic wire rod assembly 2 that assumes asubstantially annular form when it is in a free state lying on ahorizontal flat surface A, as shown in alternate long and short dashlines in FIG. 1.

[0030] Said wire rod assembly 2 includes an outer shell member 3 made offlexible sheet material in annular form as a whole and in the form of apipe closed in any cross-section, and an elastic, wire rod assembly mainbody 4 inserted in said outer shell member 3 and made of carbon glasswool substantially in said annular form, said wire rod assembly mainbody 4 being circular in any cross section.

[0031] Said wire rod assembly 2 includes a first semicircular end member6 constituting one end of said wire rod assembly 2 in one direction Bextending along said horizontal flat surface A, a second semicircularend member 7 constituting the other end of said wire rod assembly 2 in adirection C opposite to said one direction B, and a pair of intermediatemembers 9 respectively positioned in a longitudinally intermediate placein each side 8 of said wire rod assembly 2 to constitute a transitionportion from the first end member 6 to the second end member 7.

[0032] There is provided a flying ball stopping net 14 substantiallycompletely closing a substantially semicircular, flat first end space 12that is surrounded by said first end member 6 of said wire rod assembly2 and that is attached at its outer edge to the outer shell member 3 ofsaid first end member 6 by sewing with a thread 13.

[0033] In FIGS. 2 and 3, each of the intermediate members 9 is bendableto elastically deform so as to assume a curved form so that imaginaryextension planes of a substantially semicircular, flat second end space16 surrounded by said second end member 7 and of said first end space 12may cross each other at a predetermined angle α.

[0034] With said intermediate members 9 bent, the second end member 7 iswholly contactable with the ground 18 coinciding with said horizontalflat surface A, while the first end member 6 is raisable with respect tothe ground 18. Said ground 18 may have more or less surface unevenness.

[0035] In FIGS. 1 to 4, a first connecting member 20, which is aflexible long-sized body, is provided for pulling said first and secondend members 6 and 7 toward each other to connect them together whilecounteracting the elastic restoring force of said wire rod assembly 2,so as to retain said predetermined angle α.

[0036] Said first connecting member 20 includes a pair of bands 21extending from the sides 8 of said second end member 7, and a pair ofbuckles 22 attached to the sides 8 of said first end member 6 andconnected to said bands 21. Longitudinal predetermined portions of saidbands 21 are removably connected to said buckles 22, whereby said firstand second end members 6 and 7 are interconnected and said predeterminedangle α is obtained.

[0037] Further, said first connecting member 20 includes other flexiblebands 23 for interconnecting the sides 8 of said second end member 7,another pair of bands 24 extending from the longitudinal intermediateportions of said bands 23, and another pair of buckles 25 attached tosaid first end member 6 and connected to said bands 24. Longitudinalpredetermined portions of said bands 24 are removably connected to saidbuckles 25, whereby said first and second end members 6 and 7 areinterconnected more reliably and said predetermined angle a is obtainedmore accurately.

[0038] In the above case, optional longitudinal portions of said bands21 and 24 are removably connected to the buckles 22 and 25, whereby saidpredetermined angle α can be adjusted to a desired value.

[0039] In FIGS. 2 and 3, in the bent state of said intermediate members9 in which said first and second end members 6 and 7 are interconnectedby said first connecting member 20, substantially the whole of each ofsaid first and second end spaces 12 and 16 is substantially flat.

[0040] In a side view (FIG. 3) of said flying ball stopping net device1, said first end member 6 is tilted toward said second end member 7with respect to a vertical line 26.

[0041] In FIGS. 1 to 5, a fixing means 27 is provided for removablyfixing said second end member 7, contacted with the ground 18, to theground 18. This fixing means 27 includes a plurality of annularto-be-fixed portions 28 attached to the outer shell member 3 of saidsecond end member 7, and pegs 29 for fixing these to-be-fixed portions28 to the ground 18.

[0042] In FIGS. 1 to 3, and 6, a second connecting member 32, which is aflexible long-sized body, is provided for interconnecting said sides 8of said wire rod assembly 2 in the state in which said sides 8 arewidthwise brought closer to each other while counteracting the elasticrestoring force of said wire rod assembly 2.

[0043] Said second connecting member 32 includes a flexible band 33 forinterconnecting the sides 8 of said first end member 6, and another band34 of large area for interconnecting the sides 8 of said second endmember 7.

[0044] The width dimension between the sides 8 of said wire rod assembly2 is maintained at a predetermined width dimension D by the elasticrestoring force of the wire rod assembly 2 for the latter to assume theannular form (alternate long and short dash lines in FIG. 1) and by thesecond connecting member 32 interconnecting the sides 8 in the state inwhich they are closer to each other. This imparts slack to the flyingball stopping net 14 while preventing the elastic restoring force ofsaid wire rod assembly 2 from being applied to the flying ball stoppingnet 14.

[0045] In FIG. 1, in the state in which said wire rod assembly 2 isplaced on the horizontal flat surface A, said wire rod assembly 2 issubstantially in the form of an elongated circle under the action of thepulling force exerted by the second connecting member 32, the overalllength E of said wire rod assembly 2 in said one direction B beinggreater than the predetermined width dimension D.

[0046] In FIGS. 2 and 3, a bag-like flexible ball collecting net 37 isprovided that, when said first end member 6 is raised, is positionedadjacent the lower portion of said flying ball stopping net 14 attachedto the first end member 6 and is opened upward. A portion of the openedge of this ball collecting net 37 is formed integral with said flyingball stopping net 14 and is attached to the first end member 6 throughsaid flying ball stopping net 14. Further another portion of the openedge of said ball collecting net 37 is attached to the band 33 of saidsecond connecting member 32 and is attached to said first end member 6through said band 33.

[0047] When it is desired to put the flying ball stopping net device 1in the usable state for use as a flying ball stop, first said flyingball stopping net device 1 is placed in its free state at a desiredposition on the ground 18 to extend along the ground 18 (alternate longand two short dashes lines in FIGS. 1, 4 and 3).

[0048] And then the second end member 7 of said wire rod assembly 2 isfixed on the ground 18 by the fixing means 27, said intermediate members9 are bent to raise said first end member 6, and the predetermined anglea is maintained by the first connecting member 20 (FIGS. 2 and 3).

[0049] Thereupon, said flying ball stopping net 14 extends substantiallyvertically while having slack, and said ball collecting net 37 ispositioned adjacent the lower portion of the flying ball stopping net 14at a position closer to the side toward said one direction B than is theflying ball stopping net 14. Further, a weight 38 may be placed on thesecond end member 7, as the need arises, to make more reliably thefixing of the second end member 7 to the ground 18.

[0050] With the above arrangement thus made, the flying ball stoppingnet device 1 is in the usable state, as shown in FIGS. 2 and 3.

[0051] When the ball 39, which comes flying from that side of the flyingball stopping net 14 which is associated with one direction B, hits theflying ball stopping net 14 in said flying ball stopping net device 1 inits usable state, the latter fully slacks to quickly decelerate the ball39, whereupon the ball 39 falls along that surface of the flying ballstopping net 14 which is associated with one direction B to beautomatically collected in said ball collecting net 37.

[0052] Thus, the ball 39 is prevented from flying farther than isnecessary, said flying ball stoppage being repeated.

[0053] In FIG. 8, if the wire rod assembly 2 is bent to be elasticallydeformed into a curved form while counteracting the elastic restoringforce of the wire rod assembly 2, a plurality (three) of spiralannuluses 40 of substantially the same diameter can be formed whileentailing the deflection of said flying ball stopping net 14 and thefirst and second connecting members 20 and 32 (alternate long and shortdash lines in FIG. 8).

[0054] Further, said spiral annuluses 40 are adapted to be superposed oneach other on substantially the same axis 41 together with the flyingball stopping net 14, etc. (solid lines in FIG. 8), so that said flyingball stopping net device 1 is put in its compact stored state.

[0055] The flying ball stopping net device 1 in the stored state is heldin this stored state by an unillustrated band and is put in a bag 43 orthe like for carrying around by hand.

[0056] When said flying ball stopping net device 1 in the stored stateis taken out of the bag 43 or the like and the unillustrated band isloosened, the flying ball stopping net device 1 is automaticallyrestored to said usable state by its own elasticity.

[0057] According to said arrangement, the flexible first connectingmember 20 is provided for interconnecting said first and second endmembers 6 and 7 while counteracting the elastic restoring force of saidwire rod assembly 2, so as to retain said predetermined angle a.

[0058] Therefore, when the flying ball stopping net device 1 is put inits usable state by contacting the second end member 7 with the ground18, raising said first end member 6 with respect to the ground 18 andretaining the predetermined angle a by said first connecting member 20,said first connecting member 20 is subjected to the elastic restoringforce, acting as a tensile load, from said wire rod assembly 2.

[0059] Therefore, a flexible member suffices to serve as the firstconnecting member 20, as described above, and a lower strength sufficesfor such member to have in this case than when it is subjected to acompressive load. Thus, the first connecting member 20 can be madecorrespondingly lighter in weight, contributing to the ease with whichthe flying ball stopping net device 1 is handled as when it is carriedaround.

[0060] Further, in the usable state of the flying ball stopping netdevice 1, the second end member 7 of the wire rod assembly 2 iscontacted on the ground 18 and the first end member 6 is brought intoits raised position; therefore, on the ground 18 no components of theflying ball stopping net device 1 exist on the side of the ground 18opposite to the second end member 7 with the first end member 6 used asthe reference.

[0061] Therefore, when toss batting or the like, on said opposite sideof the ground 18, is to be done toward the flying ball stopping net 14attached to said first end member 6, the components of the flying ballstopping net device 1 are prevented from constituting obstacles; thisfacilitates the use of the flying ball stopping net device 1.

[0062] Further, as described above, said first end member 6 is tiltedtoward the second end member 7, as seen in a side view of said flyingball stopping net device 1, with respect to the vertical line 26.

[0063] Therefore, a perpendicular line passing through the center ofgravity of the first end member 6 including said flying ball stoppingnet 14 and ball collecting net 37 passes through somewhere in the secondend space 16 surrounded with said second end member 7, so that theflying ball stopping net device 1 can be easily self-supported on theground 18.

[0064] Thus, when the flying ball stopping net device 1 is to be put inits usable state on the ground 18, the assembling operation thereof iscorrespondingly facilitated.

[0065] Further, as described above, the second connecting member 32,which is flexible, is provided for interconnecting the two sides 8 ofthe wire rod assembly 2 such that the sides 8 are closer to each otherwhile counteracting the elastic restoring force of the wire rod assembly2.

[0066] Therefore, the width dimension between the sides 8 of said wirerod assembly 2 is maintained at a predetermined width dimension D by theelastic restoring force of the wire rod assembly 2 with which the wirerod assembly 2 tends to become annulus and by the second connectingmember 32 interconnecting the sides 8 in their state of being closer toeach other.

[0067] Thus, the elastic restoring force of said wire rod assembly 2 isprevented from being applied to the flying ball stopping net 14 attachedto the first end member 6, so that sufficient slack can be imparted tothe flying ball stopping net 14. Therefore, when the ball 39 that comesflying hits the flying ball stopping net 14, the latter sufficientlydeflects owing to its slack, quickly decelerating the ball 39. Then theball 39 is prevented from greatly bouncing off the flying ball stoppingnet 14, with the result that the operation of collecting the ball 39thereafter is facilitated.

[0068] Further, as described above, the first end member 6 has attachedthereto the bag-like ball collecting net 37 that is positioned adjacentthe lower portion of the flying ball stopping net 14 and that opensupward when the first end member 6 is raised by putting the flying ballstopping net device 1 in its usable state.

[0069] Therefore, the ball 39 hitting the flying ball stopping net 14and quickly decelerated to fall therefrom is collected by the ballcollecting net 37, so that such balls are prevented from scattering overthe ground 18.

[0070] Thus, the operation for collecting the ball 39 is furtherfacilitated.

[0071] Further, as described above, by bending the wire rod assembly 2while counteracting the elastic restoring force of the wire rod assembly2, a plurality of spiral annuluses 40 of substantially the same diametercan be formed and superposed on each other on substantially the sameaxis 41.

[0072] In this case, the flying ball stopping net 14, first and secondconnecting members 20 and 32, and ball collecting net 37, which areattached to the wire rod assembly 2, are all flexible but have norigidity or elasticity, so that they do not constitute obstacles whensaid wire rod assembly 2 is bent to superpose the spiral annuluses 40 oneach other.

[0073] Thus, the operation of bending the wire rod assembly 2 to formspiral annuluses 40 and superposing them on each other to put the flyingball stopping net device 1 in its compact stored state is facilitated.

[0074] In addition, the above explanation has been given of theillustrated example, and the first and second end members 20 and 32,which are flexible long-sized bodies, may be ropes, wires or the like.

[0075] Further, either the assembly of the band 21 and buckles 22 or theassembly of the bands 23 and 24 and buckles 25 may be dispensed with.

[0076] Further, the present invention may be such that it achieves theobject by suitably combining the individual component members describedabove.

What is claimed is:
 1. A flying ball stopping net device including anelastic wire rod assembly that assumes an annular form when it is in afree state lying on a horizontal flat surface, said wire rod assemblyincluding a first end member constituting one end of said wire rodassembly in one direction extending along said horizontal flat surface,a second end member constituting the other end of said wire rod assemblyin the direction opposite to said one direction, and a pair ofintermediate members respectively positioned in a longitudinallyintermediate place in each side of said wire rod assembly to constitutea transition portion from the first end member to the second end member,said flying ball stopping net device further including a flying ballstopping net closing a first end space surrounded by said first endmember, and attached at its outer edge to said first end member, each ofsaid intermediate members being bendable such that imaginary extensionplanes of a second end space surrounded by said second end member and ofsaid first end space cross each other at a predetermined angle, in whichbent state said second end member is contacted with the ground whilesaid first end member is raisable with respect to the ground, saidflying ball stopping net device being characterized in that a flexiblefirst connecting member is provided for interconnecting said first andsecond end members while counteracting the elastic restoring force ofsaid wire rod assembly, so as to retain said predetermined angle.
 2. Aflying ball stopping net device as set forth in claim 1 , characterizedin that said first end member is tilted toward the second end member asseen in a side view of said flying ball stopping net device with respectto a vertical line.
 3. A flying ball stopping net device as set forth inclaim 1 or 2 , characterized in that a second connecting member, whichis flexible, is provided for interconnecting the sides of said wire rodassembly in the state in which said sides are brought closer to eachother while counteracting the elastic restoring force of said wire rodassembly.
 4. A flying ball stopping net device as set forth in any oneof claims 1 through 3, characterized in that a bag-like ball collectingnet is attached to said first end member, said ball collecting net beingadapted, when said first end member is raised, to be positioned adjacentthe lower portion of said flying ball stopping net and opened upward. 5.A flying ball stopping net device as set forth in any one of claims 1through 4, characterized in that by bending the wire rod assembly whilecounteracting the elastic restoring force of the wire rod assembly, aplurality of spiral annuluses of substantially the same diameter can beformed and superposed on each other on substantially the same axis.